Eastern Tech grad forms nonprofit to empower youth through STEM
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Balancing the books and athletics was a motivating force behind Wayne Martin’s launch of The Academic Athlete, a recently established nonprofit organization that primarily aims to empower local youth by providing educational support and opportunities in the fields of STEM and STEAM.
Martin, an electrical engineer by profession, grew up in East Baltimore and spent some of his childhood in the Essex and Parkville areas. Having endured the hardships of an upbringing in an impoverished urban environment, his life journey is a testament to dedication, ambition and self-belief.
As a young man, he was a dedicated athlete. In the process of time, Martin came to realize that a steady focus on academics, particularly in science, technology, engineering and math, offers a sustainable and meaningful path to long-term career success.
“Having grown up in Baltimore, I know first-hand the pressures and pitfalls of being a kid who felt like I had limited opportunities to rise above poverty and it’s why I’m so passionate about reaching youth with the message that a focus on academic, and specifically STEM, holds so much potential for long-term success and fulfillment,” Martin said.
“With a background in engineering, I have come full circle to see the impact of academics on my life, and I want to help as many students as possible experience the same opportunities.”
A good deal of the young people today, especially those from inner-city environments, fall victim to the common notion that a professional sports career is the only or most promising path to success in life. Martin, along with countless other Black industry leaders, noticed young athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds tend to blindly acquiesce to this idea.
Social media — and quite frankly, mass media as a whole — has played a considerable role in over-glamorizing sports and entertainment as the most advantageous career paths. In an effort to reverse this trend and distorted reality, The Academic Athlete seeks to redefine what achievement means for these communities.
The likelihood of becoming a professional athlete is fairly slim — essentially negligible — when compared to the probability of a worthwhile career in a high-demand STEM field or even a trades profession.
“Sports are very short term. Whether you make it or not is neither here nor there. But guess what? If you apply yourself and exercise your mind, you can be successful,” Martin said.
“Everyone wants to be a millionaire; understood. Everyone thinks that in becoming a professional athlete you will be entitled to millions of dollars. That’s not the reality, but at the end of the day, if you choose a sustainable, high-demand career path, and put in the same amount of energy that you do on the court or field, you will make enough money to be in a comfortable situation and get out of poverty. That’s the goal.”
The Academic Athlete doesn’t intend to discourage youth from pursuing athletic careers, but simply aims to broaden their perspective.
“We want to encourage the kids and the youth to use those skills that they are learning while playing the sports that they love and showing them how they can utilize those same skills in a professional manner,” Martin added.
“If you are very good at your craft in sports, go ahead and get that scholarship, go ahead and utilize that for the good to further give you longevity in your career — something that’s sustainable for your life, and pick a career path in a STEM-related, or STEAM-related, or even trades-related career path that can be very lucrative for you as you move forward.”
Since launching in November 2024, The Academic Athlete has:
Expanded its board of directors and partners
Launched a scholarship program
Announced plans to launch a chess club as an initiative to “provide students with a fun and engaging way to develop strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and sportsmanship—all while fostering a strong sense of community.”
Martin is also the co-founder, president and CEO of MDS Engineering, a York, Pa.-based company specializing in mechanical, plumbing and electrical engineering and design services.
He attended Eastern Technical High School, a highly esteemed magnet school in Essex that’s one of the highest-performing public schools in the state. At Eastern Tech, he was an all-state football player. Martin went on to earn his bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Morgan State.
Spotlighting opportunities available through STEM-related careers, The Academic Athlete endeavors to empower young minds to consider how their athletic experiences can be paired with the impact they can make as engineers, scientists and innovators.
Through a range of educational initiatives, mentorship programs and strategic partnerships, the organization’s objective is to help the next generation recognize that the path to success is diverse and multifaceted.
“I felt that I had to convey a message to inform people that I [didn’t have to be] a professional athlete to live the lifestyle I envisioned, that I deserve, that I worked hard for. I did it using my mind,” Martin said of what prompted him to establish The Academic Athlete.
“That inspired me to pursue The Academic Athlete, drawing ties between sports, academics and STEM to bridge that gap and explain who I am.”
The nonprofit’s initial focus is on live speaking engagements in schools and similarly missioned organizations throughout the Greater Baltimore and York, Pa., region.
More information about The Academic Athlete and its mission, initiatives, programs and how schools and community organizations can partner is available at www.theacademicathlete.org.
This story was also published in The Baltimore Times.